MLB Notebook | Travis Snider stars in first game of Blue Jays' doubleheader

BOSTON — Late-season call-up Travis Snider homered, doubled and drove in five runs, leading A.J. Burnett and the Blue Jays over the Boston Red Sox 8-1 on Saturday in the first game of a day-night doubleheader. Snider, a graduate of Jackson of Mill Creek, added a run and an RBI in the second game, a 7-5 Red Sox victory.

The Blue Jays wasted a chance to improve their longshot playoff bid. They lost for just the third time in 15 games and fell 7 ½ games behind the Red Sox in the American League wild-card race.

In the first game of the day, with the Blue Jays leading 2-0 in the fifth inning, Snider, who started the year at Class A Dunedin and was recalled from Class AAA Syracuse on Aug. 29, homered into the Blue Jays' bullpen off Paul Byrd (11-12). Snider hit his second homer after Rod Barajas and Scott Rolen singled.

Snider's two-run double off reliever David Aardsma made it 7-0 in the sixth. Snider scored on Inglett's RBI single.

Games rescheduled

Two games between the Chicago Cubs and Astros that were postponed this weekend in Houston because of Hurricane Ike will now be played in Milwaukee.

The Cubs and Astros will play at 7:05 p.m. today and 1:05 p.m. on Monday at Miller Park, with Houston being the home team. If the third game of the series is needed, it will be Sept. 29 at Houston.

In other weather-related news, Saturday's scheduled doubleheader between the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers was rained out. A split doubleheader is scheduled for today, but the forecast is for more rain, meaning the entire three-game series might be played after the regular season ends Sept. 28. The teams have no common days off between now and then.

Notes

• With Jorge Cantu's long ball Friday night, the Marlins became the first team in major-league history to have four infielders hit at least 25 home runs. The others are Mike Jacobs, Dan Uggla and Hanley Ramirez. Manager Fredi Gonzalez said the Marlins saved a scorecard from Friday night's game and Cantu's home-run ball, but have not been contacted by Hall of Fame officials. Ramirez, Jacobs and Uggla each have at least 30 homers.

"I'm sure at the end of the year, they'll get together with all four guys, maybe get something from them," he said.

• The Twins activated OF Michael Cuddyer (broken left foot) from the 15-day disabled list. He bounced out as a pinch hitter in the ninth Saturday against Baltimore.

• The Los Angeles Dodgers activated closer Takashi Saito (right elbow) from the 60-day DL before Saturday's game against Colorado.

To make room for Saito on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers placed outfielder Andruw Jones (right knee) on the 60-day disabled list. Torre also said outfielder Andre Ethier went home to Phoenix on Saturday "to deal with personal issues."

• Los Angeles Angels minor-league pitcher Ryan Aldridge was suspended for 50 games Saturday after testing positive for an amphetamine.

• Roger Makley, the attorney who represented Pete Rose when he sought reinstatement from Major League Baseball, died Friday. He was 74. He had been diagnosed with cancer and had also suffered a stroke. Makley defended Rose beginning in the late 1980s as baseball and Internal Revenue Service officials conducted investigations of the game's career hits leader.

• Nursing a stiff back, Atlanta 3B Chipper Jones missed both games Saturday.

McClatchy Newspapers

contributed to this report.